Shirakumo Aoba walked out of Ichiraku Ramen with Hinata.
He was about to head in the direction of the Hyuga compound when a tall man suddenly appeared in front of him.
He looked at Aoba with a very unfriendly expression.
That expression was so familiar.
Aoba had seen it countless times before.
Every time he met the parents of Tenten, Ino, Sakura, and the others, they would secretly give him that same look.
But this man… Aoba didn't recognize him.
Still, those pale eyes… he must be Hinata's bodyguard.
"Little… friend."
"Thank you very much for taking care of our young lady."
"Uh… no need to thank me."
Hearing the man's teeth-gritted voice, Aoba didn't feel embarrassed. He'd grown used to this kind of attitude.
Aoba looked back at Hinata, who still had her head lowered, and said, "Hinata, your family's here to pick you up. I'll be leaving now."
"Ah?"
Hinata instinctively lifted her head, but found Aoba already turning away.
Soon, in the darkness of night, she could no longer see him.
Hinata pursed her lips, her eyes full of disappointment. Then she suddenly remembered something else and felt even more despondent.
She didn't know when she would see him again.
"Miss Hinata?"
The bodyguard noticed her odd behavior and hurried forward with concern.
"I'm fine."
Hinata shook her head, but the bodyguard clearly felt the coldness in her tone.
This was the first time.
Now it was his turn to feel wronged.
He had actually found Hinata a long time ago, but he'd seen her happily eating ramen outside and decided to wait until she was ready to leave.
He knew he was taking a risk—if the clan head found out, he would be punished.
That brat was so infuriating.
The bodyguard decided that once he returned, he would report everything to the clan head and investigate this kid thoroughly.
—
Recalling the strange events of the day, Aoba pushed open his front door.
In the dark, he reached out and felt for the light switch.
But the moment his hand touched it, someone grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air.
"Who's there?!"
Aoba shouted.
His body spun rapidly, and he threw a spinning kick.
But it was easily caught by a single hand.
Aoba didn't stop his attack. He immediately slid his hand into his shirt lining.
Several shuriken flew out and struck toward the silhouette holding him.
Aoba instantly felt himself drop as the hand holding him loosened.
Metal clanged in the darkness.
Just as Aoba steadied his posture and prepared to pull out an explosive tag, the other person finally spoke.
"Enough. It's me."
With the lights turned on, Yamanaka Yamanaka's stern face appeared in front of him.
"Uncle, scaring people like that is dangerous."
Seeing that familiar face, Aoba breathed a sigh of relief and stuffed the explosive tag back into his clothing.
He had almost lost 2,000 ryo.
"Hmph. You've been causing quite a stir in the village, haven't you?"
Yamanaka returned to his seat, staring at Aoba with a cold gaze.
He had just returned from a mission, and he still carried the killing intent from the field.
Even though Aoba knew his uncle wouldn't actually hurt him, he couldn't help feeling a chill down his spine.
His throat went dry as he asked, "W-What did I do?"
Yamanaka narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"What's your relationship with those two girls from the Yamanaka house and the ninja tools shop?"
"Uh… just normal friends."
Aoba scratched his head and answered honestly.
"Just normal friends?"
In the ninja world, people matured early. It was normal for a kid to have someone they liked at four or five years old.
Yamanaka wasn't against Aoba having a little girlfriend—but he couldn't let him become too flirtatious.
If he added Haruno's daughter into the mix, that would make three.
Even if Aoba wanted to be flirtatious, he shouldn't only chase after the heiresses. It would make life difficult for Yamanaka as an uncle.
He had just returned to the village and submitted his mission report, and both the Yamanaka boy and the ninja tool shop owner had given him unpleasant looks.
He didn't know why, until he asked—and found out it was all because of his nephew.
"I was just teaching Tenten shuriken throwing. They came up to me on their own…"
Aoba said quietly.
Yamanaka's eyelids twitched, and he asked again, "When I'm not around, do you always come home this late at night?"
"No, not usually. Today I was eating with a friend."
Aoba, seeing that nothing else was wrong, sat down on the sofa.
"Ino, Sakura, or Tenten?"
"Uh… it was the Hyuga family's young lady, Hinata Hyuga…"
"…"
Yamanaka fell silent.
After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice calm but heavy.
"Aoba, I know you've always been sensible. So I think you should understand—no matter how strong I am, this life of mine ends here. I'm just a somewhat capable civilian."
The gap between commoners and clan members in the ninja world was like a chasm.
Stories of a commoner marrying into a noble clan weren't unheard of, but those were rare cases of true love, and the man had to be adopted into the family.
This kid kept getting close to one heiress after another. Yamanaka was starting to get worried.
Aoba stared at him in confusion.
Yamanaka's expression grew more serious.
"I'm worried that one day I'll come home from a mission and find you in pieces."
"…"
Aoba had no words.
Yamanaka stood up and patted his shoulder.
"Rest well tonight. Tomorrow I'll check your training progress. If a poor kid wants to be with a noble lady, he can only rely on his own strength."
—
"So you're saying Hinata ate five bowls of ramen outside?"
Hiashi Hyuga listened to the bodyguard's report, his face full of disbelief.
He never imagined that Hinata—who usually ate one bowl and declared herself full—could eat five bowls without batting an eye.
"I saw it with my own eyes," the bodyguard replied.
After hearing the confirmation, Hiashi finally recovered.
"I understand. You may go. And remember to compile a full file on Shirakumo Aoba for me."
"Yes, Clan Head."
After dismissing the bodyguard, Hiashi returned to the living room.
Hinata was still small, sitting with Hanabi, reading a book together.
Seeing them, guilt rose in his chest.
He had always treated Hinata as the clan head's heir, never realizing something so obvious that even a child could see.